Half my plants dying?

[retardo]

That's interesting, thank you. What type of plants do you have in your tanks?

In the shrimp tank, it's most just crypts and mosses. I throw in Ketappa leaves for good measure. In my main tank where I do inject CO2 and add ferts, there are too many plants to list.

[Hwynette]

In the shrimp tank, it's most just crypts and mosses. I throw in Ketappa leaves for good measure. In my main tank where I do inject CO2 and add ferts, there are too many plants to list.

Retardo, I was at the LFS yesterday and got a Fluval mini C02 kit. After much reading and angst I decided to forgo the Aqua Soil and put inert substrate and sand in the tank, and wrapped some java moss and willow moss around my driftwood. I'd like to also add one or two mini grass pr crypt plants. I thought I read somewhere that using C02 with new tiny plants will cause an algae bloom. Is this correct and if so, how can you avoid this? I really appreciate the info! Thanks

[CTale]

Retardo, I was at the LFS yesterday and got a Fluval mini C02 kit. After much reading and angst I decided to forgo the Aqua Soil and put inert substrate and sand in the tank, and wrapped some java moss and willow moss around my driftwood. I'd like to also add one or two mini grass pr crypt plants. I thought I read somewhere that using C02 with new tiny plants will cause an algae bloom. Is this correct and if so, how can you avoid this? I really appreciate the info! Thanks

This is true. You can add CO2 only when plants start to grow. While they're small and week algae will prevail using CO2 to overgrow. When the plants are bigger they will prevail.

[Hwynette]

This is true. You can add CO2 only when plants start to grow. While they're small and week algae will prevail using CO2 to overgrow. When the plants are bigger they will prevail.

Good to know. I also have a 29g with very few plants. While I'm waiting for my 8g to get up to speed would it be helpful to put the C02 on the 29 or will it not do much as it's only rated for up to 15g?

Appreciate all the help here~

[CTale]

Good to know. I also have a 29g with very few plants. While I'm waiting for my 8g to get up to speed would it be helpful to put the C02 on the 29 or will it not do much as it's only rated for up to 15g?

Appreciate all the help here~

Actually, to grow plants goes like this:

Under the gravel goes nutrition substrate. As is very rich of nutrients you should expect algae blooming before plants can start to grow.

In this period, after the start, you should make water changes up to 50% and have some fast-growing plants that would use excess of nutrients instead of algae. Some floating (like lemna minor) will collect excess of materials on the surface (this is how to avoid to have sort of oily film on the surface of the water). Provide quality and sufficient light for the size and the depth of the tank.

As you see that plants started to grow include CO2, remove surface plants, trim fast growing plants (or remove it if you don't want them) and let other plants to grow healthy. CO2 is not necessary over night as plants use O2 when there is no light.

[Hwynette]

Ctale, Thanks so much for the helpful information. I've been trying to decide if I should use a soil or an inert substrate. My LFS tells me soil is not needed but I keep reading that it is needed if you want to have plants too. It's only an 8 gal tank so not much of either soil or plants; but I want to do what is best for the shrimp. Same in my 29gal tank; no shrimp but I'd like to have plants as I think they help the fish and they also look nice/natural. Maybe I will order some soil and take out the inert gravel I put in. Seems to be a hassle; I'll have to cycle the tank for another 6 weeks or so because of the ammonia spike I'll get from the ADA soil? In the end, I want what is not huge maintenance and best for shrimp. Even after reading all these posts I'm still not sure what that is? Ctale, what size tank(s) do you have? What plants/shrimp do you have? Thanks so much for your help!

[CTale]

ADA soil will have ammonia spike, that's certain. Cycling the tank is a must if you start from the beginning.

I would present my tank, but not on this topic (75 litres, Neocaridina heteropoda only) and it is planted, not much.

To stay on a topic: there is one safe way to add nutrition to the inert substrate - Osmocote® Exact. It is in granules and is slowly enriching soil with nutrition. It is safe to the shrimps and the roots.

I used it this way: put some granules of Osmocote® Exact to ice cube mold (10-15 or more pcs), freeze it and then put under the plant. Ice will melt and leave the granules where you wanted them.

[Hwynette]

Thanks CTale, that's good to know. I'll see if I can find some of that in my area.

[Hwynette]

In the shrimp tank, it's most just crypts and mosses. I throw in Ketappa leaves for good measure. In my main tank where I do inject CO2 and add ferts, there are too many plants to list.

Question: My 8 gal is not quite a month old; no C02. Water params are good. White slimy stuff on driftwood. Wrapped Java Moss on DW and now JM looks like it's dying. Due to no ferts? Just added shrimp yesterday and fed them. Now worried I'll have an ammonia spike; will do a WC this a.m. Can I use Flourish, Excel, and Iron without harming the shrimp? Thanks everyone

[CTale]

When did you put that driftwood? If not recently then I think you could have a water circulation problem.

Java Moss should not die unless bad circulation also and if there is some good light.